Steve Gentry
[0:00] Alright go ahead and have a seat again welcome to Village Church [0:04] This is Easter and so for some of you [0:08] This is a day where you come and you celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ [0:13] And my hope is that by the end of our time together that all of us would celebrate [0:19] The good news that Jesus is not dead that he has in fact [0:24] risen from the dead and the fact of the matter is is that the
[0:28] Resurrection of Jesus Christ is what history itself hinges upon in the scriptures the Apostle Paul [0:35] Actually says that the resurrection is so important that if Christ has not risen from the dead then [0:41] Christians are above all people to be pitied because we base our life on a lie [0:48] And there is nothing to be hopeful in but then a few verses later [0:53] He actually says but in fact Christ has [0:58] risen from the dead
[1:00] See there’s plenty of evidence that points to the validity of trusting that Jesus rose from the dead [1:06] But you need more than just to agree with the fact of the resurrection [1:12] See because Jesus is alive and so many of us would agree with that we would assent to that fact [1:20] But unless it is something that actually shapes your life unless it is something that actually [1:25] Changes the reason and the ways that you live your life [1:30] Then it has not become something that you put your faith in
[1:36] It’s you Christ rising from the dead is connected to every miracle that he ever accomplished at Christmas [1:42] We take a look at the virgin birth and I’ve often said that the greatest miracle that has ever happened is that the creator [1:48] Actually steps into his creation becomes part of his creation [1:53] But the resurrection is connected to that [1:57] Because it shows that Jesus was not some mere man [2:01] because if all that he was was a man that he was a liar and
[2:04] Everything that he ever taught everything that he ever said just is kind of phony because we can’t trust it because he claimed [2:10] He was God and it is because of the resurrection that we can say the claims that Jesus made are true [2:18] Because he has ultimate power he has power over sin and he has power over death and you must trust in him [2:26] For his good news to be good news at all for you [2:31] And so today I want to talk about why it is such good news [2:36] Every Easter it gives me an opportunity to talk through the resurrection of Jesus Christ with you and every
[2:44] Easter I take time to kind of take inventory and say why is the resurrection such good news to me? [2:53] Because that is where it must hit us [2:56] It must not just be good news [2:58] But rather it must become good news to you and over the past several weeks as I’ve been [3:06] Planning towards this Sunday. I’ve kind of centered upon just a few reasons for us as to why the [3:13] Resurrection is what the good news of Jesus is based on but more than that
[3:18] Why the resurrection is such good news for our lives? [3:23] Because we are very quick to just move past it and act as if it’s just news [3:30] As if you have your Bibles [3:32] I want to start probably in somewhere that isn’t a place that you would normally spend your Easter in but that is [3:38] Hebrews chapter 10 and in Hebrews chapter 10 [3:42] The author of Hebrews takes time to talk through everything that the sacrifice of Christ has gained
[3:50] For us everything that a sacrifice of Christ causes for our lives [3:55] But he does it in an interesting way that’s unique for our experience [3:59] Because he talks through all of the things that the Old Testament [4:03] Required for sin to be atoned for and then he moves on and he says now that Christ has paid the penalty for sin [4:10] All of that is unnecessary [4:14] Have you ever read through the Bible and thought to yourself?
[4:17] How does everything that I read in Leviticus get me to Jesus? [4:23] All of these rules all of these regulations all of these animals that were killed. How does that get me to Christ? [4:32] Well in the book of Hebrews, he explains that to us a little bit and he tells us in verse 18 [4:38] He says that where there’s forgiveness of all of our sins [4:42] There’s no longer needed any more offering for that sin and then in verse 19 [4:48] He says because Jesus has paid the ultimate offering brothers
[4:52] Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus [4:57] By the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain that is through his flesh [5:03] And since we have a great priest over the house of God [5:07] Let us draw near with a true heart full of assurance of faith with our hearts [5:12] Sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water [5:17] Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful
[5:24] And let us consider how to stir up one another to love in good works [5:29] Not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day [5:38] drawing near [5:39] He draws an interesting parallel in this text [5:42] He says that Jesus has gained us entry into the holy place through his blood [5:47] He’s torn the curtain that separated that acted as a barrier between the presence of God and us down through his flesh
[5:55] but then he goes on and he says that Jesus is [6:00] Faithful he speaks of Jesus’s life in the present tense later in the text and [6:06] The reason that he says it that way is because Jesus is in fact alive [6:11] According to the author of Hebrews that there’s coming a day that he calls the day of the Lord where we will stand before [6:18] Jesus and it is that day that the validity of faith in Jesus will actually be seen [6:25] It will actually be experienced but only if you’ve placed your faith in Jesus Christ
[6:31] Only if he is your Lord and your Savior [6:36] And so it matters exponentially [6:38] What you believe about Jesus and whether your faith is actually in him at all [6:45] And so what I want to do this morning is I want to talk about three different areas that I see in this text that [6:51] Explain why the resurrection is good news for you [6:55] Why you should believe it because of what it offers to you
[7:00] First the resurrection of Jesus is good news because the resurrection connects you with God’s love [7:06] The resurrection connects you with God’s love [7:10] You know sometimes it’s hard to believe that God is loving [7:14] Sometimes it’s even harder to believe that God loves you sometimes personal experiences are difficult. We say man. Am I cursed? [7:21] Does God love me [7:24] Sometimes even the things that we see going on in the world and our community some of the things that other people experience
[7:31] We may think to ourselves [7:34] If God’s so loving how can this happen? [7:37] Well, the scripture provides us a lot of information about God and it tells us a few things [7:42] It starts by telling us that God is glorious [7:45] That God is the greatest being in [7:49] Existence he’s the most powerful. He’s the most holy he’s the most intelligent
[7:55] He is the wisest being that has ever [7:59] existed [8:01] Everyone and everything [8:03] Finds its source and finds its meaning in [8:08] God [8:09] Now that is either good news or it is bad news because when you think about someone like that
[8:15] Well, if I’m on his good side, what’s great that he’s all of those things but if I’m on his bad side [8:20] Well, all of those things could be [8:22] my downfall [8:24] But the scripture doesn’t even let us just consider whether it’s one way or the other [8:30] Because it gives us good news that God is also the most just being he’s the most righteous. He’s the most loving [8:37] He’s the most good being that has ever
[8:42] Existed and it is in his goodness [8:45] And it is in his love that his terrifying power [8:50] becomes good news [8:53] You see, I don’t know if you know why you were created [8:57] You see God created you he created all that exists and he created you for the purpose of obeying him [9:05] He created you for the purpose of living in accordance to the way
[9:10] He says you should live because that is what it means to worship him [9:14] That is what it means to show his glory his worth every one of us though has failed that [9:22] Every one of us has disobeyed God in some way and I don’t think I need to spend a lot of time [9:27] Convincing you of that. I mean I can’t even live up to the standards that my wife sets for me all of the time [9:35] Much less the standards that God [9:38] Has given me and so it’s not hard for me to imagine yeah, I’ve fallen short of the ideal
[9:45] Even the most prideful person among us would have to admit that you are [9:51] Imperfect because I doubt you can even meet your own [9:55] expectations most of the time [9:57] And you see because of that we have not pleased God [10:02] I say this to our shame and it’s not that we didn’t know he was there. I mean creation itself [10:10] Screams out there is a God there is a designer behind
[10:16] everything that exists in the beauty of creation
[10:22] But we have rebelled against God and sin separates us from God and that’s what Hebrews chapter 10 is telling us [10:30] See it’s informing us that there is something that prevents us from going to the holy place [10:37] There is something that prevents us from going through what’s called the curtain [10:43] to God’s presence or a barrier to [10:47] understanding and feeling the presence of God and that is all of those things that we [10:53] Pursue with our lives to give us satisfaction to give us joy to give us everything that we’ve been looking
[11:00] For yet falling short over and over and over but this text tells us there’s a different reality that can be true [11:08] of us [11:10] Note the terms that it uses it says that we can have confidence [11:14] We can have assurance [11:17] We can have faith [11:21] But it’s very specific it says that we can have those things through Jesus
[11:29] You see [11:30] When he uses these terms [11:33] It’s not that he’s saying sin isn’t as big of a deal as you probably think it is [11:37] No [11:38] It’s actually telling you that sin is the biggest of deals and it is only a God who is [11:43] Supremely loving that would ever overcome those barriers John 3 16 tells us that God
[11:50] Loves us to the extent that he sent his son [11:55] That [11:57] Anybody that believes in him will not perish or live in [12:02] eternal separation from God [12:04] But instead if you believe you will actually receive eternal life [12:10] from God
[12:12] In the book of Ephesians chapter 2 [12:15] It says that God was rich in mercy because of what because of the great love [12:21] That he loved us with and then even though we were dead in our trespasses [12:26] He’s made us alive together with who with Christ [12:29] By grace you’ve been saved [12:32] You see the text wants to tell us over and over that we owe a debt that we cannot hope to repay
[12:39] Because God in his righteousness hates sin [12:44] He is so holy that sin cannot be in his presence [12:48] But he is also so loving that he himself was willing to pay the ultimate [12:54] sacrifice in order to give you passage into his presence forever [13:02] Friend the good news of the resurrection is that God loves you [13:08] And he wants to overcome the barrier of your sin, but it must be done through faith in Jesus Christ
[13:14] And it is his love that gives way to his life [13:18] You see the resurrection is good news because the resurrection connects you with God’s life [13:25] You see God’s love has to give way to something it has to cause [13:31] Something and it is the love of God that can actually take you from dead in your sin to alive [13:38] Through faith in Christ Jesus you see Jesus came to give life [13:42] and sometimes that’s
[13:45] difficult to do anything for me because [13:48] Sometimes you have to be honest and you think well. I already have life [13:52] What do I need another one for I already am alive? [13:57] Why would the life of Christ be of any value to me if I’m already alive? [14:03] Well the scriptures actually tell us that sin deceives us into thinking that we have something that we don’t have [14:10] You see the life that the scripture says that we can have and that we were designed to have and that we can get back
[14:17] Jesus Christ is a life of connectedness with God [14:22] You see so often when you’re seeking to find satisfaction [14:26] When you’re seeking to build a life that matters when you’re seeking to define your purpose you look for it in every way [14:34] Imaginable under the Sun you look at it through people you look at it through career you look at it through finances [14:40] You look at through sex you look at it through power and yet over and over again you find yourself [14:46] Wanting more you find yourself thinking the thing that I thought would satisfy me doesn’t satisfy me because you are looking for life
[14:53] apart from God [14:55] the Bible tells us [14:58] That true life is only found in connectedness with God and until you connect with the life of God [15:04] You will not find what you were designed for you cannot find the purpose [15:09] That you long for so much and everything else will lack in potential [15:15] But through Jesus
[15:17] We can have life in John chapter 1 when Jesus is stepping into the scene of earth [15:25] He’s always existed when he becomes a human it says that in Jesus was life and [15:32] That life was the light of men you see Jesus has the life that will bring light to your life [15:40] Hebrews 10 takes that concept even further in verses 22 and 23 to explain that we have sin that needs to be [15:47] Cleansed from us and we can’t do it [15:51] only Jesus can why because he is
[15:56] Faithful we are not [15:58] He is the source of life. He stays connected to the source. He wants to give back [16:05] What sin has taken from your life [16:09] You see Jesus has so much life that he conquered something that you can never conquer [16:15] Jesus conquered the grave [16:18] You see Jesus really died
[16:21] Because you owe God your life [16:24] That’s the payment that’s required for sin death [16:28] And that is why death reigns supreme in our world [16:32] But Jesus came and he who knew no sin he actually [16:36] Endured death for you since he didn’t have any sin to pay for he could be the substitute for your [16:44] Sin and Jesus paid that price
[16:48] to give you [16:51] life and [16:53] Then three days later. He rose from the dead. You know if I drop dead today. I’m not getting back up in three days [17:00] There will be a funeral and I’ll be there dead
[17:05] But Jesus [17:06] physically rose from the dead and to act as if that is not an earth-changing a [17:15] Revolutionary reality that there is a God that can take death and make life [17:23] That’s crazy [17:24] because if he rose from the dead that changes [17:29] Everything some of you spend all of your time trying to fix yourself
[17:35] You’re trying to find life in yourself [17:39] Friend it’s not there [17:41] You must get over yourself and you must believe in Jesus because in Jesus is life [17:50] The resurrection is good news for another reason the resurrection is good news because it connects you with God’s [17:57] people [18:00] So what I mean by that might be a little differently than what you think because throughout the scripture you basically have I mean
[18:06] You have all sorts of people but you have two main groups from Genesis to Revelation [18:10] You have the people of God and then you got everybody else and let’s just call them the not people of God [18:18] All right, you’ve got these people that God says they are mine. You have them in Israel. Then you have them in the church [18:26] And sometimes when people make claims they say well Christianity is divisive [18:32] It divides people faith just divides. It’s exclusive. It doesn’t include everyone [18:38] Well when you read through the scriptures, well, sometimes you you got to admit it. There is some
[18:44] Evidence that that’s true [18:47] Because it does put some people in and then it does exclude people [18:51] I mean when you read through the Old Testament it doesn’t seem like the Lord is saying hey everybody come [18:57] Come before me be my people. No, he says hey those people yet you be my people [19:03] Get rid of everyone else [19:05] That’s sometimes the way we read it. It’s just sometimes when we read it
[19:11] We struggle we say how is this inclusive? How is this good news for everyone? [19:17] There’s a commentator his name is John Phillips and he gives this amazing script of a hypothetical [19:24] Event in the Old Testament that didn’t happen, but he says this is what could have happened [19:29] You see when the people of Israel, you know after you know [19:31] Charlton Heston parted the sea and they walked through the desert for a while they got to the promised land [19:36] Okay. Well when they went into the promised land, it wasn’t vacant
[19:41] There were people there and the scripture actually says that they had to go through those people [19:47] To take possession of the promise of God [19:50] Well, there were so many there were many different people groups and there was this one people group called the Moabites [19:55] And we see them very early on now some of you think that I’ve named a planet from Star Trek [20:01] I’m not talking about the planet Moab [20:02] I’m talking about the people of Moab and the Old Testament was a real people in history. Okay, they existed
[20:07] All right [20:08] You know the Moabites weren’t the people of God so Israel actually had to go through the Moabites to get the promised land [20:15] The scripture records and it actually tells us in the book of Exodus that God instructed the nation of Israel everywhere that they went [20:21] They were to erect this thing called the tabernacle and inside of the tabernacle was where the presence of God existed [20:27] It was where God was worshiped [20:31] There were standards and we read through the Old Testament. We’re like, this is not good news. What rules I
[20:37] Mean a lot of things that just don’t make any sense to me [20:39] It’s like they couldn’t just kill an animal any other way either for the sacrifice to be legit [20:43] They had to kill the animal with this type of knife at this type of angle [20:45] They had to take some blood on their thumb put it on their heel put it on their ear put it behind their thigh [20:50] I mean, they’re just putting blood everywhere [20:52] We say what is going on here?
[20:56] Well be frank with you. It was to show
[21:01] That you’re separated from God [21:04] And that your sin keeps you out of his presence and it’s only a certain people that are coming into his presence [21:10] But imagine being one of those Moabites [21:13] And you see hundreds of thousands of people marching your way and then you see them camp and they put up this tabernacle [21:20] Let’s just imagine that you were close enough [21:22] John Phillips writes as a Moabite and you see this tabernacle and you see people going in and you see people coming out
[21:29] You say to yourself I want to go in [21:31] So Israel would have these gatekeepers outside of the tabernacle [21:35] Let’s say a Moabite goes up to the gatekeeper and he says hey [21:37] Can I go in and have a look around and see what this presence of God stuff is all about? [21:42] Well the gatekeeper would look at the Moabite and he would say no [21:46] You can’t enter in you’re not an Israelite only
[21:49] Israelites can come into the tabernacle and the Moabites like was there anything I could do and he says no [21:55] You’d have to be born again as an Israelite. There’s nothing you can do [22:03] All right, and then somebody kind of opens the doorway a little bit [22:08] He sees these people going up to this bronze altar and this bronze [22:12] Lavor and they’re doing this crazy cleansing ceremony [22:16] And then they’re walking into another section of the tabernacle into the tabernacles interior
[22:21] And then he sees there and he says oh man [22:23] Dude, I wish I was an Israelite so I could even go into a deeper part of the tabernacle and the gatekeeper would say [22:29] Oh, no [22:33] Israelites can’t all go in there you see to go into the interior [22:36] It’s even harder you have to actually be of the tribe of Levi and of the family of Aaron [22:44] No, but it’s like this is getting weird
[22:48] Okay [22:49] This is oh man. I would love to go in there [22:52] Hey, since I can’t go in can you just tell me what it’s like in the interior says all in the interior there? [22:59] Sacrifice is made and there’s religious ceremonies that go on and then there’s this beautiful veil [23:04] That separates the interior from the most holy place called the holy of holies
[23:13] And that’s where the ark of the covenant is and that’s where the presence of God is worshipped [23:20] And the Moabite might respond and say oh my goodness [23:23] If only I was of the tribe of Levi of the family of Aaron then I could be a priest and I could go in the [23:30] Most holy place and then the gatekeeper say [23:32] Well, no [23:34] The the priests of the tribe of Levi of the family of Aaron they cannot go into the most holy place
[23:41] Only the high priest of Israel can go into the most holy place the holy of holies and the Moabite might say oh my [23:49] Goodness if only I was the high priest I would go into the holy of holies every day to experience [23:56] The the presence of God and the gatekeeper say oh no
[24:02] The high priest can’t go in there every day [24:04] He actually he can only go in there one day a year [24:08] For a little while during that day and he has to go through the most ornate [24:14] Cleansing ceremony that you’ve ever even thought of in your life [24:19] And if he goes into the holy of holies and does something that displeases the Lord well, he’ll die
[24:27] Okay, and at that point imagine if you’re a Moabite [24:32] You’d probably walk away
[24:36] Dejected [24:37] Depressed because you have no hope of ever [24:42] Experiencing the presence of God
[24:46] Enter Jesus the king of glory
[24:53] You see in Hebrews chapter 10 what he’s describing is that tabernacle [24:59] And he’s saying that Jesus [25:03] Through his sacrifice on the cross [25:05] Has paid the price [25:08] For all time there will never be another offering ever required there will never be another cleansing ever required [25:15] And he has not just gained Israel entryway into the tabernacle. He has gained the Moabite
[25:21] He has gained the Amalekites the Midianites [25:24] Everyone white black brown whatever your background whatever your ethnicity [25:30] Whatever you are dealing with in your life [25:34] Jesus has overcome every obstacle for you to come in through his blood [25:39] But more than that it says that beautiful veil that closed the presence of God in the most holy place [25:46] It says the flesh of Christ when it was ripped apart on that cross
[25:52] He tore the veil of the temple so that you could enter into the holy of holies [25:59] Into the presence of God not just one day a year [26:03] But every single day of your life you can have the presence of God and you can worship him [26:12] guilt-free shame free fear free because Jesus died once for all [26:19] To pay the price for your sin [26:23] But more than that
[26:26] He rose from the dead so that you could have his life
[26:34] And I tell you this morning that that is good news
[26:42] But it’s only good news for you [26:47] If you turn from your sin and [26:51] You trust the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as your Lord [26:56] Savior [26:58] Because it is not good news [27:01] Until it is good news for you and
[27:05] Some of you you may have a life where you would agree with everything [27:09] I just said, but it has not changed anything for you
[27:16] Friend if you’ve believed in Jesus Christ [27:22] It’ll change everything [27:25] Because it brings the presence of God into your life forever
[27:33] You see Jesus is not just king [27:37] Jesus is my king [27:39] Jesus is my Lord [27:41] Jesus is my Savior [27:44] My life is shaped by the truth of what he has done for me [27:52] because he
[27:54] is faithful